SYNOPSISTimothy Zahn's trademark mix of action and intrigue has never been more evident that in this bold Star Wars epic. Legends will grow, treachery will abound, and lives will be irrevocably altered in the perilous fight to restore hope to a galaxy too long in darkness.

The destruction of the Death Star by the Rebel Alliance was a decisive blow against the Empire, but Palpatine and his monstrous enforcer, Darth Vader, are no less of a threat. Among those standing against them are Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Princess Leia Organa. The three have been sent to mediate a dispute between Rebel Alliance factions in Shelsha Sector. At the same time, Mara Jade–all of eighteen and years away from her fateful meeting with her future husband, Luke– is serving her evil master, Palpatine, tracking suspected treachery in the Empire. And the a once-loyal Imperial stormtrooper, Daric LaRone, commits a sudden and violent act of defiance.

Each of these actions, whether sanctioned or secret, will expose brutality and corruption, spur upheavals destined to shake the Empire to its core, and shape momentous events yet to come.